MICHIGAN GHOST TOWN: Bristol, in Lake County

Another true Michigan ghost town is Bristol in Lake County. Bristol is located in Dover Township on the intersection of N. Raymond Rd. and E. 8 Mile Rd.

Just a few feet north is Nelson Sawmill...not an old one, but a sawmill nonetheless. Even though the sawmill is basically in Bristol, their address lists them as in Tustin, which is 6½ miles away. That's how insignificant some feel the village of Bristol is. But I disagree. ANY small town, ghost town, non-existent town or forgotten town in Michigan is a very vital, informative & interesting part of Michigan history, no matter what.

Not much is known about Bristol, but more than likely it began in the late 1800's as another Michigan lumber town; the closest railroad was in Tustin, 6½ miles away, so maybe that had something to do with the town's demise, along with the depletion of lumber.

Today there stands the old J.H. Sutton General Store, in all it's (mostly) original glory & structure (SEE PHOTOS); it may either be abandoned or turned into a home or tavern by now. Next to it is a more modern general store & gas station; there are a couple of churches in the area and a cemetery but that's about it.

Eleven miles south on the corner of N.Raymond Rd. and E. Old M63 is Raymonds Corners, another forgotten Michigan community whose history seems to have been lost over time. Why is it called Raymonds Corners? What was there? There's nothing now but homes and an intersection. This one is a mystery to me.

If you have the spirit of adventure & discovery in your veins, plan a Michigan roadtrip to check out many of these lost, forgotten towns & ghost towns in our state. I'll do my best to inform you of more.

Remember, some structures are private property, enjoy their historic beauty from the road.